The concept of “green energy”has been employed in the Netherlands for several years now. “Green energy” relates to electrical energy which is generated by means of renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectric power, wind power, solar energy and so on. The electricity distribution companies offer their consumers the option of consuming “green energy”. The electricity distribution company hereby undertakes to generate at least the amount of electrical energy consumed by the consumer in question by means of renewable energy sources or, when it purchases electrical energy, to ensure that at least the purchased quantity of electrical energy consumed by the relevant consumer is generated in renewable manner. In order to adjust the additional costs of the energy generated in renewable manner a higher amount per consumed energy unit is charged to consumers of “green energy”.
Such a system does function, but the interest in consuming “green energy” falls short of expectations.
It is assumed that this is caused partly by the fact that there is little relationship between the consumption of “green energy” and the generation thereof. It will be apparent that it is not possible to connect the consumer of “green energy” directly to a generating unit for renewable forms of energy; transfer of electrical energy takes place over the distribution network for electrical energy, over which is also transported energy which is generated in conventional manner, i.e. by burning fossil fuels or by means of nuclear power.
The problem thus remains of a not very direct link between the consumption of “green energy” and the generation of electrical energy on the basis of renewable energy sources.